Process of spinal analysis



Sqn. 1, 19251.

D. D. EviNs PROCESS OF SPINAL ANALYSS Filed Jan. 18 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l Vi ATTORNEY. Y

Sept. l, 1925.

- D. D. EVINS PROCESS 0F sPINAL ANALYSIS Filed Jan. 18 1924 2 Sl-.eelzs-Shac.A 2

INVENTQR. 22055625 HE7/Z725. 4

69 C1A/M P A TTORNE Y.

Patented Sept. 1, 1925. i

UNITED STATES 1,552,284 PATENT oFFlcE.

DOSSA D. EVINS, OF DAVENPORT, IOWA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FRANK W. ELLIOTT, 0F DAVENPORT, IOWA.

PROCESS OF SPINAL ANALYSIS..

Application filed January 18, 1924. Serial No. 687,151.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DossA D. EviNs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Davenport, in the county of Scott and State of Iowa, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Processes of Spinal Analysis, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a process of spinal analysis, which consists in comparing the simultaneous temperatures of separated areas along the spine. It has for one purpose the detection of inflammation or other conditions which cause local increases in temperature, through the detection of the local dilerences in temperature so set up and the location of the points so heated.

One application of my invention is the detection of inflammation or other abnormal conditions along the spine.

Other objects will appear from time to time in the course of the specification and claims.

I illustrate my invention more or less diagrammatically in the Aaccompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a more or less diagrammatic perspective view of one form of apparatus for carrying out my process.

Figure 2 is an enlarged and more or less diagrammatic view of the contacting element shown in Figure l.`

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic representation of the wiring and connections of the contacting and indicating elements shown in Figures l and 2.

Figure 4 is a view of a variant form of instrument which may be employed in the practice of my process.

Figure 5 is a view of a contacting element wherein llexible arms are used.

Figure 6 is a variant form of instrument wherein the contacting elements are associated in one casing with the indicating mechanism and dial.

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view of another orm of instrument in which I employ the Wheatstone bridge.

Figure 8 is a view of a contacting element in which a plurality of thermocouples, or in eiect, a thermopile, are used.

Like parts are illustrated by like symbols throughout the specification and drawing.

In Figure l, I have illustrated in a dlagrammatic perspective a typical application of my process. A is any indicating means, preferably a galvanometer, which is provided with a graduated dial A1, associated with which is a xed indicating arrow A2 and an arrow A3 adapted to move in response to the current passing through the galvanometer.

B is the contacting instrument, wherein is employed a thermocouple. It is well known that when a junction of two dissimilar metals, such as copper and oonstantan, to name but one example, is connected to a galvanometer, variations in temperature at the point of connection of the two metals will cause deflections of the galvanometer needle. This is due to the fact that the electric flow from the junction of the dissimilar metals varies in response to changes in temperature of the junction point.

In association with the indicating galvanometer dial I may use a contacting element, such as is shown in Figure 4, comprising a single thermocouple, one junction of which is exposed to fluctuations of temperature, the other being kept at constant temperature. In the form of Figure 4 the constant temperature is provided by the contact of the thumb or finger of the operator, but obviously any other suitable means can be used for maintaining the constant temperature.

Although the form of Figure 4 is practical, I prefer to use a contacting element in which two junctions are exposed, so that by a simultaneous application of the two junctions to adjacent but spaced apart portions of the body, the operator can tell whether or not the two spots are at the same temperature, and if not, the difference between them. Instruments of this type are shown in Figures 2 and 8.

Owing to the small amounts of current generated by a single thermocouple, the preferred form consists of a plurality of thermocouples connected in series, whereby the effect of one thermocouple is multiplied by the number in series. This device is commonly known as a thermopile. For the sake of brevity, the two junctions of a single thermocouple, for example X, Y of Figure 3 and the plurality of junctions of the thermopile, X, Y of Figure 8, will both be referred to as junctions. i l

In the use of any form of my invention in which the pair of junctions are simultaneously exposed to the body temperature, the direction of low of the current indicates which junction is exposed to the higher temperature, and the magnitude of the deflection of the needle indicates the magnitude of the dilerence. For example, a focus of inflammation, or any other heat-creating focus can be detected when the instrument indicates that one of the two junctions is exposed to a higher temperature than the other. The existence of such a focus or heated spot can then be veried by comparing the temperature of the suspected area with the temperature of one or more other points upon the body.

In the forms shown in Figure 2, I show a handpiece B1, through which passes the ilexible connecting cord B2 which may extend, as shown in Figure l, to a galvanometer. Secured to the handle B1 is an extension or head having the forks or branches B3, B4. Connecting these branches is positioned a ribbon or wire B7 of constantan or any other metal suitable for use as the element of a thermocouple. This strip is connected at each end, as at B3, B9 to the terminals B5, B5, oli' copper or any other suitable metal, which in turn are connected to the galvanometer by the copper wires B10, B11, which pass through the cords B2. This connection is diagrammatically shown in Figure 3 wherein X represents one junction and Y the other.

In the form shown in Figure 4, the galvanometer G is provided with a scale G1 in which zero is centrally located as at G2. G3 is any suitable handle having the junctions G4, G5 one at each end of the handle. In the use of this instrument the junction G4 contacts the body of the patient and the junction G5 is maintained at relatively constant temperature by contact of the linger or thumb of the operator.

In the form of instrument shown in Figure 5, I replace the rigid arms B3, B4 of Figure 2 by the llexible arms H2 secured to the terminal portion H1 of the handle H. At the extremities of the llexible arms are the junctions H3, H4. The arms are herein shown as consisting of spiral metallic conduits, but any other form of flexible or adjustable arms might be used.

In the form shown in Figure 6, I illustrate the combination in a single casing of the galvanometer and the two junctions, I being the galvanometer dial with the needle I1, and I2, I3 being arms, extending from the galvanometer casing, in which are mounted the junctions I4, I5 connected for example by the strip or wire I6 and being (onIIlected to the galvanometer by the wires In the form diagrammatically shown in ,Figure 7, I employ a Wheatstone bridge.

It consists, when used for the purpose of my process, of the two equal and constant arms K2, K3, and ofthe two variable arms K and K1, which are equal when their temperature is equal, this equality of temperature being shown by the absence of deflection of the galvanometer needle K5. If K and K1, for example, are of line platinum wire or of any other material which changes in resistance in response to changes of temperature, the balance of the bridge will be overthrown when the element K is subjected to a temperature greater or lesser than that to which K1 is subjected. These diilerences in temperature are indicated by the galvanometer needle.

In the form of instrument shown in Figure 8 in order to increase the responsiveness of the contacting member, I employ a thermopile composed of a plurality of thermocouples in which metal wires or elements of diverse characteristics are alternated. This thermopile may be arched or shaped to conform to the shape of the contacting element, one junction being at the end of one horn or arm, and the other at the other. In the instrument shown, the contactor is provided with a handle M from which project the branches M1 and M2. M3, M3 are the copper wires leading from the thermopile to the galvanometer. M5 is the terminal post at the end of the copper wire M3 in the arm l 1. M3 is a copper loop secured to the post M5 and looped through or secured to a loop M7 of constantan which, in turn, is secured to a terminal post M3 of constantan, from which leads the constantan wire M9, which, in turn, terminates in the constantan post M10 in the arm M2. The copper and constantan elements thus alternate, M12 and M14 being constantan connections extendingbetween the constantan terminal posts M15, M16 in the arm M1 and the constantan terminal posts M17, M18 in the arm M2. Each constantan post is connected by a constantan loop to the copper loop of the opposite copper post, and the copper post M2.0 in the arm M2 is connected to the copper wire M2, the copper posts and the constantan posts of each arm being thus connected by wires of like metal with the copper and constantan posts respectively of the opposite arm.

Whereas, I have described a thermopile in which copper and constantan are used, obviously any other suitable combination of metals might be employed.

It will be noted that each pair of copper and constantan terminal posts is joined by a pair of hoops or loops of fine wire, the loops being soldered at one end to the terminal or end posts, and the other ends to each other, each loop being of the same metal as the post to which it is secured.

Whereas I have illustrated and described various instruments which may be used in the practice of my process, it will be realized that I do not wish in any way to limit myself to the use of specific apparatus, the apparatus being herein described and shown merely for purposes of illustration.

The. use and operation of my invention are as follows:

Many medical and surgical methods have been evolved for correcting or curing diseased conditions in the body. My process herein described and claimed is not curative but corrective, and has for its purpose to detect or locate such affected points on the body as are evidenced by a change of the temperature of the body at the affected point. The affected point so located may be treated by any preferred means and processes as seen fitting to the individual in charge of the case. It is known that inflammations of the body, from whatever cause they may arise, generally tend to raise the temperature of the body at the point of inflammation. The fever of a wound, or even a small scratch, if it is at all infected, produces a comparatively large increase in temperature. The difference in temperature between the part Iof the body immediately adjacent the cut and the unaffected parts of the body is such as to be easily perceptible to the finger tips. Subcutaneous infections give rise tosimilar local variations of temperature which are, of course, far smaller than those caused by cutaneous infection. Owing to this, in the practice of my process I find it necessary to employ temperature detecting or observing means of great delicacy, and the means I employ are sensitive toy variations and differences in temperature of a small fraction of a degree.

In the practice of my process I determine or compare the simultaneous or the substantially simultaneous temperature of various points along the spine. In the use of the word simultaneous in the present specification and claims I dol not wish to limit myself to the use of the instrument with the two exposed junctions, since successive temperature observations, if made in close enough succession, are suicient to indicate the virtually simultaneous temperatures of the points tested.

However, in the practice of my process, I preferably employ a pair of temperature detecting elements secured to a temperature indicating or recording device, and in one very effective arrangement I expose a pair of thermocouple junctions spaced apart upon a hand piece. I connect the two junctions with a galvanometer, the needle of which defiects toward the junction which is exposed to the higher temperature. In employing this instrument for observing the temperatures along the spine I may apply one junction to a. point on o-ne side of the spine and the other junction to a corresponding point on the opposite, side of the spine. I may thus test all the critical points along the spine, determining all the points or vertebraa adjacent which there is a lateral differentiation of temperature between opposite sides of the body. I may also test points longitudinally spaced along the spine, by turning the instrument so that the long aXis of the hand piece is parallel with the longitudinal axis of the spine. Working progressively up and down the spine in this manner, the operator can very quickly locate points of abnormal temperature as may be present.

It will be understood that my process may be employed either before or after such adjustment as the case demands has been given. It may be used either for analysis before adjustment, or to test the results of adjustment. Use of the process may be continued unt-il normal conditions are restored. A particularly valuable application of my process is in the location of heated points caused by spinal luXations, by the impingement of vertebrae upon nerve or other intervertebral tissue, the process making it possible to accurately locate the point where the compression upon the nerve occurs. By means of this process the analysis of the spine is made accurate and scientific and its use makes it possible for the operator to completely restore the spine to its normal condition and to accurately ascertain when such normal condition has been attained.

I claim:

l. The process of locating a nerve subjected to pressure at the spine which consists in comparing the simultaneous temperatures of substantially equal areas in locations adjacent the spine.

2. The process of locating a spinal luXation which consists in comparing the simultaneous temperatures of substantially equal areas in locations adjacent the spine.

3. The process of spinal analysis which consists in the determination of differences of temperature of areas of substantially equal nerve enervation of locations adjacent the vertebral column.

4. The process of spinal analysis comprising a comparative temperature observation consisting in comparing the simultaneous temperatures of corresponding areas on opposite sides of the median line of the spine.

5. The process of spinal analysis comprising a comparative temperature observation consisting in comparing the simultaneous temperatures of corresponding areas on opposite sides of the median line of the spine, and of a plurality of areas longitudinally spaced along the spine.

6. The process of locating a nerve subj ected to pressure at the spine which consists in comparing the simultaneous temperatures of areas in locations adjacent the spine.

7. The process of locating a pathological condition of a spinal nerve by a simultaneous comparison of the relative temperature of corresponding areas on the opposite sides of the spinal cord laterally at the emergence of such nerve from the spinal column.

8. The process of locating pathological co-nditions along the spine by comparative temperature observation, which consists in comparing the substantially simultaneous temperatures of a plurality of areas in locations adjacent the spine.

9. The process of locating pathological conditions along the spineby comparative tempera-ture observation, which consists in comparing the substantially simultaneous temperatures of corresponding areas on opposite sides of the median line of the spine.

10. The process of ascertaining the exist- Vtemperatures of a plurality of areas, at least one of said areas being adjacent the spine.

Signed at Davenport, county of Scott and State of Iowa, this 111:A day of January, 1924. 40

DOSSA D. EVINS. 

